In the Garden of History - the Botanical Garden of Brera
Lokasi: Orto Botanico di Brera
Alamat: Via Privata Fratelli Gabba 10
There is an oasis of green in the heart of Milan. Among the shops and majestic buildings of the historic neighbourhood of Brera, there is an ancient garden where, as early as the 1500s, monks cultivated vegetables and medicinal herbs. It was Arch-Duchess Maria Teresa of Austria who transformed it into a botanical garden in 1774 with an ambitious project to promote agriculture and art. Here, young students learned about the plant world and plants were grown for Brera’s nearby Spezieria or spice-works. A few decades later, Napoleon brought along exotic and ornamental plants and the Orto Botanico became a meeting place for all of Milan’s citizens. Today, the garden is home to scientific studies, but also a beautiful “living museum”, just a stone’s-throw away from the Pinacoteca of Brera. Restoration work in 2001 brought to light its original configuration, with two elliptical basins, an arboretum and overflowing flowerbeds. With truly useful herbs, rare species and greenhouses for tropical plants, there is a precious collection of hydrangeas and two Gingko Biloba that, at the ripe age of two-hundred-and-fifty-years old, represent the patriarchs of the garden.
The exhibition presents an in-depth and original approach to Brassaï’s oeuvre through over 200 vintage prints, with particular attention to the extremely famous images dedicated to the French capital and its nightlife.
Over 200 shots, including over 60 medium and small formats, chosen and selected by the author and presented together with an unpublished interview, retrace the career of one of the most famous contemporary photographers.
The exhibition reflects on the traditional concept of the vitrine and its centrality in exhibition projects. In relation to the "classical museum display", the display case separates and at the same time exposes the object, offering it for viewing, but creating a barrier for the viewer.
Chiara Camoni: art as a link between nature and spirit
One of the most prominent Italian artists of her generation, Chiara Camoni focuses her practice on various mediums, from drawing to plant prints, from video to sculpture, with particular attention to ceramics.